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Abstract:

A vehicular lamp includes: a light source that emits light; a lamp body,
inside of which the light source is arranged; a circuit board that has a
conductive pattern that functions as an electrically-conducting path of
drive current to be supplied to the light source, and on one end portion
of which an electrode portion connected to the conductive pattern is
formed; a socket connected to the lamp body; and a contact member that is
arranged in the socket and has an elastically deformable connecting
terminal portion connected to the electrode portion of the circuit board,
and a plug connecting portion, to which a power supply plug is connected,
wherein the circuit board is pressed by restoring force of the connecting
terminal portion, elastically deformed, so as to be held by the contact
member.

Claims:

1. A vehicular lamp comprising: a light source that emits light; a lamp
body, inside of which the light source is arranged; a circuit board that
has a conductive pattern that functions as an electrically-conducting
path of drive current to be supplied to the light source, and on one end
portion of which an electrode portion connected to the conductive pattern
is formed; a socket connected to the lamp body; and a contact member that
is arranged in the socket and has an elastically deformable connecting
terminal portion connected to the electrode portion of the circuit board,
and a plug connecting portion, to which a power supply plug is connected,
wherein the circuit board is pressed by restoring force of the connecting
terminal portion, elastically deformed, so as to be held by the contact
member.

2. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, further comprising an
engaging portion that prevents relative movement of the contact member
with respect to the lamp body in a longitudinal direction of the plug
connecting portion.

3. The vehicular lamp according to claim 2, wherein the engaging portion
is configured not to prevent the relative movement of the contact member
to a fixation position, at which the contact member is fixed, during
assembly of the contact member and configured to prevent the relative
movement of the contact member from the fixation position.

4. The vehicular lamp according to claim 3, wherein the engaging portion
includes: an engaging protrusion that is provided on the lamp body, and
has an engaging surface that faces in a direction of the relative
movement, during assembly, of the contact member with respect to the lamp
body; and a first elastic engagement portion that is provided on the
contact member, that is inclined such that an amount of jutting-out of
the first elastic engagement portion from the contact member increases in
a direction opposite the direction of the relative movement, during
assembly, of the contact member with respect to the lamp body, and that
is formed by cutting and bending up a portion of the contact member.

5. The vehicular lamp according to claim 4, wherein the engaging
protrusion has an inclined surface that is inclined such that an amount
of jutting-out of the engaging protrusion from the lamp body increases in
the direction of the relative movement, during assembly, of the contact
member with respect to the lamp body.

6. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a contact
holder that is made of nonconductive material and is retained in the
socket, wherein the contact member is joined to the contact holder and
arranged inside the socket.

7. The vehicular lamp according to claim 6, wherein a retaining portion
is formed on the contact holder; an elastically deformable second elastic
engagement portion is provided on the contact member; and the second
elastic engagement portion is engaged with the retaining portion to join
the contact member to the contact holder.

8. The vehicular lamp according to claim 7, wherein the retaining portion
is provided on the contact holder, and has a surface that faces in a
direction of movement, during assembly, of the contact member relative to
the contact holder, and the second elastic engagement portion is provided
on the contact member, is inclined such that an amount of jutting-out of
the second elastic engagement portion from the contact member increases
in a direction opposite the direction of the movement, during assembly,
of the contact member relative to the contact holder, and is formed by
cutting and bending up a portion of the contact member.

9. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, further comprising: an
isolation portion that is provided on at least the one end portion of the
circuit board, and on one surface of which the electrode portion is
formed; and a heat radiating portion that is provided on at least the one
end portion of the circuit board, that contacts the other surface of the
isolation portion, and that is made of metallic material, wherein the
heat radiating portion is pressed against a nonconductive portion by the
restoring force of the connecting terminal portion elastically deformed.

10. The vehicular lamp according to claim 1, wherein the socket is
integrally formed with the lamp body.

Description:

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0001] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-065093 filed
on Mar. 22, 2012 including the specification, drawings and abstract is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a vehicular lamp. More particularly, the
invention relates to a technical field for improving workability related
to the assembly of a circuit board provided in a vehicular lamp.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. 2010-73620 (JP 2010-73620 A), for example, describes a
vehicular lamp, in which a light source is arranged inside a lamp outer
casing formed of a cover and a lamp body, and a drive current is supplied
to the light source from a power supply circuit via a circuit board
having a conductive pattern that functions as an electrically-conducting
path of the drive current.

[0005] In the vehicular lamp described in JP 2010-73620 A, the circuit
board on which the light source is mounted is arranged inside the lamp
outer casing, and a harness that is connected to the circuit board is
pulled out from the lamp body and connected to the power supply circuit.

[0006] However, with the vehicular lamp described in JP 2010-73620 A, the
structure is such that the drive current is supplied to the light source
via the circuit board by the harness and therefore, it is necessary to
perform both work to connect the harness to the circuit board by
soldering, and work to pull the harness around inside and outside of the
lamp body.

[0007] Therefore, the work related to the circuit board is troublesome and
therefore, there is room for improvement to improve workability related
to the assembly and the like of the circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The invention provides a vehicular lamp, with which it is possible
to improve workability related to the assembly and the like of a circuit
board provided in the vehicular lamp.

[0009] A vehicular lamp according to an aspect of the invention includes a
light source that emits light; a lamp body inside of which the light
source is arranged; a circuit board that has a conductive pattern that
functions as an electrically-conducting path of drive current to be
supplied to the light source, and on one end portion of which an
electrode portion connected to the conductive pattern is formed; a socket
connected to the lamp body; and a contact member that is arranged in the
socket and has an elastically deformable connecting terminal portion
connected to the electrode portion of the circuit board, and a plug
connecting portion, to which a power supply plug is connected. The
circuit board is pressed by restoring force of the connecting terminal
portion, elastically deformed, so as to be held by the contact member.

[0010] Accordingly, in this vehicular lamp, the circuit board is held by
the elastic connecting terminal portion that is connected to the
electrode portion.

[0011] Therefore, a harness for supplying drive current to the light
source is not necessary, so that neither the work of connecting a harness
to the circuit board by soldering nor the work of pulling the harness
around inside and outside of the lamp body is needed. Hence, workability
related to the assembly of the circuit board and the like is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of
exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote
like elements, and wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing a vehicular lamp
according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a state in which a
contact holder and contact members are inserted in a socket according to
the embodiment;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the socket, a
circuit board, and a plug according to the embodiment;

[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the socket, the
contact holder, and the contact member according to the embodiment;

[0017] FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a modification of the
socket and the contact members according to the embodiment, in a state in
which contact members are inserted in a socket; and

[0018] FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the socket and
the contact members shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Embodiments of a vehicular lamp of the invention will hereinafter
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] In the description below, the directions of front, rear, up, down,
left, and right, are referred to with the direction in which the light
source is directed, i.e., the direction in which light from the light
source is emitted, being forward (i.e., the front).

[0021] The directions of front, rear, up, down, left, and right are used
merely to facilitate the description. Embodiments of the invention are
not limited by these directions.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicular lamp 1 includes a lamp body 2 that
has a recessed portion that is open to the front, and a cover 3 that
covers the opening of the lamp body 2. A lamp outer casing 4 is formed of
the lamp body 2 and the cover 3. A space inside the lamp outer casing 4
is formed as a lamp chamber 5.

[0023] A socket 6 that protrudes to the rear is connected to a rear
surface portion 2a of the lamp body 2. The socket 6 may be formed using a
member separate from the lamp body 2. Alternatively, the socket 6 may be
formed integrally with the lamp body 2. Forming the socket 6 integrally
with the lamp body 2 reduces the manufacturing cost, owing to the
decrease in the number of parts.

[0024] A circuit board 7 is arranged in a position extending from the lamp
chamber 5 into the socket 6. A portion of the circuit board 7, excluding
a rear end portion thereof, is attached to an attaching member, not
shown, that is arranged in the lamp chamber 5. Any of various types of
rigid circuit boards such as a glass epoxy circuit board, or flexible
circuit boards that are able to bend, or the like, may be used as the
circuit board 7.

[0025] The circuit board 7 has an isolation portion 7a, a conductive
pattern 7b formed on an upper surface of the isolation portion 7a, and a
heat radiating portion 7c made of metal material laminated to a lower
surface side of the isolation portion 7a. Electrode portions 7d that are
connected to the conductive pattern 7b are formed spaced apart to the
left and right on the rear end portion of the circuit board 7. The heat
radiating portion 7c may be made of resin material having high thermal
conductivity.

[0026] A light source 8 is mounted in a position on the front end side on
the upper surface of the circuit board 7. A light emitting diode (LED),
for example, is used as the light source 8. A drive current is supplied
to the light source 8 from a power supply circuit, not shown, via the
circuit board 7, and light is emitted from the light source 8 according
to the supplied drive current. At this time, the circuit board 7
generates heat, but the generated heat is released from the heat
radiating portion 7c, so that an increase in the temperature of the
circuit board 7 and the light source 8 is suppressed.

[0027] A reflector 9 is arranged in the lamp chamber 5. This reflector 9
is formed as a reflective surface 9a.

[0028] Light emitted from the light source 8 is reflected by the
reflective surface 9a of the reflector 9, passes through the cover 3, and
is illuminated forward.

[0029] The socket 6 is formed in a generally angular tube-shape that is
L-shaped, and is connected to the lamp chamber 5 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). The
socket 6 is formed of a generally angular tube-shaped first cylindrical
portion 10 that extends vertically and is open downward, and a second
cylindrical portion 11 that protrudes forward from a front surface of an
upper half portion of the first cylindrical portion 10 and is open
forward. A front end of the second cylindrical portion 11 is connected to
the lamp body 2.

[0030] A horizontally long circuit board insertion hole 10a is formed in a
front surface portion of the first cylindrical portion 10. This circuit
board insertion hole 10a communicates with the second cylindrical portion
11 (see FIG. 2). An engaging protruding portion 12 that protrudes forward
and extends left and right is provided on an inner surface of a rear
surface portion of the first cylindrical portion 10. An engaging surface
12a that faces upward and an inclined surface 12b inclined such that the
higher the vertical position is, the more the inclined surface 12b jut
out forward, are formed vertically separated from one another on the
engaging protruding portion 12.

[0031] A contact holder 13 is arranged on the upper half portion of the
first cylindrical portion 10 of the socket 6. The contact holder 13 is
made of nonconductive material such as resin, and includes a base surface
portion 14 that faces in the front-rear direction, a first retaining
portion 15 that protrudes forward from an upper end portion of the base
surface portion 14, and a second retaining portion 16 that protrudes
forward from a lower end portion of the base surface portion 14.

[0032] Insertion holes 14a are formed spaced apart from each other to the
left and right in the base surface portion 14.

[0033] Insertion grooves 17 that are open forward and downward are formed
spaced apart from each other to the left and right in the first retaining
portion 15. Rear surfaces that form the insertion grooves 17 are formed
as retaining portions 17a. Retaining protruding portions 18 that protrude
downward are provided spaced apart from each other to the left and right
on a lower surface side of the first retaining portion 15. A retaining
groove 18a that opens inward and to the front and rear is formed in each
of the retaining protruding portions 18 that are positioned on both the
left and right sides. A retaining groove 18a that opens to the right or
left and to the front and rear is formed in each of the retaining
protruding portions 18 positioned in the center.

[0034] A circuit board insertion groove 16a that opens forward is formed
in the second retaining portion 16. The circuit board insertion groove
16a is open upward except for at both left and right end portions.
Arranging recessed portions 16b that open to the rear and downward are
formed spaced apart from each other to the left and right on the lower
surface side of the second retaining portion 16.

[0035] Contact members 19 are joined to the contact holder 13. The contact
members 19 are formed of flat conductive material such as metal that has
been processed into a predetermined shape.

[0036] The contact members 19 each include a middle surface portion 20
that faces in the front and rear directions, an engaging surface portion
21 that protrudes forward from an upper end portion of the middle surface
portion 20, a connecting surface portion 22 that protrudes forward from a
lower end portion of the middle surface portion 20, a connecting terminal
portion 23 that is connected to a front end portion of the engaging
surface portion 21, and a plug connecting portion 24 that protrudes
downward from a front end portion of the connecting surface portion 22.
The longitudinal direction of the plug connecting portion 24 of this
invention means the extending direction in which the plug connecting
portion 24 extends from the base end portion, and is the direction in
which a power supply plug 25 is attached and detached to and from the
plug connecting portion 24 in this direction.

[0037] Part of each middle surface portion 20 is cut and bent up to
provide a first elastic engagement portion 20a that prevents relative
movement of the corresponding contact member 19 with respect to the lamp
body 2. The first elastic engagement portion 20a is inclined such that
the lower the vertical position is, the more the first elastic engagement
portion 20a juts out rearward.

[0038] Also, part of each engaging surface portion 21 is cut and bent up
to provide a second elastic engagement portion 21a that prevents relative
movement of the corresponding contact member 19 with respect to the
contact holder 13. The second elastic engagement portion 21a is inclined
such that the more rearward the position in the front-rear direction is,
the more the second elastic engagement portion 21a juts out upward.
Retainable pieces 21 that protrude to the left and right are provided on
the engaging surface portions 21.

[0039] Each of the connecting terminal portions 23 includes a folded-back
portion 23a that is bent downward with respect to the engaging surface
portion 21, and is inclined such that the more rearward the position in
the front-rear direction is, the more the folded-back portion 23a juts
out downward, and a tip end portion 23b that is connected to a rear end
of the folded-back portion 23a, and is inclined such that the more
rearward the position in the front-rear direction is, the more the tip
end portion 23b returns upward.

[0040] A generally lower half portion of the plug connecting portion 24 is
provided as an overlapped portion 24a that is folded back so as to be
doubled.

[0041] The contact members 19 are joined to the contact holder 13 by being
inserted from the rear side-by-side. The contact members 19 are joined to
the contact holder 13 by the second elastic engagement portions 21a and
retainable pieces 21b of the engaging surface portion 21 being inserted
into the insertion grooves 17 and the retaining grooves 18a,
respectively, and the connecting surface portions 22 being inserted into
the recessed portions 16b.

[0042] When the contact members 19 are being joined to the contact holder
13, the second elastic engagement portions 21a slidingly contact the
front end portions of the lower surface of the first retaining portions
15 and elastically deform. Once past the front end portions, the second
elastic engagement portions 21a then elastically return to their original
shapes and become inserted in the insertion grooves 17.

[0043] When the contact members 19 have been joined to the contact holder
13, the second elastic engagement portions 21a are engaged with (i.e.,
retained by) the retaining portions 17a of the insertion grooves 17, the
retainable pieces 21b are engaged with the retaining grooves 18a, and the
connecting surface portions 22 are engaged with the recessed portions
16b. At this time, the overlapped portions 24a of the plug connecting
portions 24 are positioned lower than the lower surface of the contact
holder 13.

[0044] As described above, the contact members 19 are prevented from
falling out of the contact holder 13 by the second elastic engagement
portion 21a being engaged with (i.e., retained by) the retaining portions
17a of the insertion grooves 17.

[0045] The contact members 19 that are joined to the contact holder 13 are
inserted from below into the socket 6 together with the contact holder
13. When the contact members 19 are being inserted into the socket 6
together with the contact holder 13, the first elastic engagement
portions 20a slidingly contact the inclined surface 12b of the engaging
protruding portion 12 and elastically deform. Once past the engaging
protruding portion 12, the first elastic engagement portions 20a then
elastically return to their original shapes and become engaged with the
engaging surface 12a.

[0046] As described above, the contact members 19 and the contact holder
13 are prevented from falling out of the socket 6 by the first elastic
engagement portions 20a being engaged with the engaging surface 12a of
the engaging protruding portion 12. As a result, the contact members 19
and the contact holder 13 are retained inside the socket 6. Accordingly,
in this embodiment, the engaging protruding portion 12 and the first
elastic engagement portions 20a serve as an engaging portion of the
invention.

[0047] When the contact holder 13 is retained inside the socket 6, the
front surface of both the first retaining portion 15 and the second
retaining portion 16 is pressed against the front surface portion of the
socket 6.

[0048] As described above, when the contact members 19 and the contact
holder 13 are retained inside the socket 6, one end portion (a rear end
portion) of the circuit board 7 is inserted from the front into the
circuit board insertion hole 10a, and inserted between the connecting
terminal portions 23 of the contact members 19 and the second retaining
portion 16 of the contact holder 13. The connecting terminal portions 23
are pressed due to elasticity against the electrode portions 7d of the
circuit board 7, and the heat radiating portion 7c of the circuit board 7
is pressed against the second retaining portion 16.

[0049] Therefore, the circuit board 7 is pressed by the restoring force of
the elastically deformed, connecting terminal portions 23 so as to be
held by the contact members 19.

[0050] The power supply plug 25 that is connected to the power supply
circuit is inserted into the socket 6, and the power supply plug 25 is
connected to the plug connecting portions 24 of the contact members 19.
Therefore, the drive current is supplied to the light source 8 from the
power supply circuit via the power supply plug 25, the contact members
19, and the circuit board 7.

[0051] As described above, the contact members 19 are joined to the
contact holder 13 and arranged inside the socket 6, so that by designing
the shape and size of the contact holder 13 according to the shape and
size of the contact members 19, the contact members 19 will become able
to be retained in the socket 6 regardless of their shape and size.

[0052] Accordingly, the degree of freedom in the design of the contact
members 19 is improved by using the contact holder 13.

[0053] In addition, the retaining portions 17a are formed on the contact
holder 13, and the contact members 19 are joined to the contact holder 13
by the second elastic engagement portions 21a being engaged with the
retaining portions 17a.

[0054] Therefore, the contact members 19 are easily and reliably joined to
the contact holder 13, and a stable joined state of the contact members
19 with respect to the contact holder 13 is ensured.

[0055] Furthermore, the engaging protruding portion 12 that has the
engaging surface 12a is provided on the socket 6, and the contact members
19 and the contact holder 13 are retained inside the socket 6 by the
first elastic engagement portions 20a being engaged with this engaging
surface 12a, so that the contact members 19 and the contact holder 13 are
easily and reliably held in the socket 6.

[0056] Next, a modification of the socket and the contact members will be
described (see FIGS. 5 and 6). A socket 6A according to the modification
is connected to the rear surface portion 2a of the lamp body 2. The
socket 6A may be formed by a member separate from the lamp body 2, or it
may be formed integrally with the lamp body 2. Forming the socket 6A
integrally with the lamp body 2 reduces the manufacturing cost owing to
the decrease in the number of parts.

[0057] Insertion holes 2b are formed spaced apart from each other to the
left and right in a rear surface portion of the lamp body 2 to which the
socket 6A is connected.

[0058] The socket 6A is formed by a generally angular tube-shaped first
cylindrical portion 10A that protrudes forward from the rear surface
portion 2a, and a generally angular tube-shaped second cylindrical
portion 11A that protrudes rearward from the rear surface portion 2a. The
first cylindrical portion 10A and the second cylindrical portion 11A
communicate with each other by the insertion holes 2b of the lamp body 2.

[0059] A horizontally long circuit board insertion hole 10b that is open
to the front is formed in the first cylindrical portion 10A. Member
arranging holes 10c that are open to the front are formed spaced apart
from each other to the left and right in the first cylindrical portion
10A. The member arranging holes 10c are positioned intersecting the
circuit board insertion hole 10b and part of these member arranging holes
10c are common with the circuit board insertion hole 10b.

[0060] Front insertion grooves 10d that open downward and forward and
extend in the front-rear direction are formed spaced apart from each
other to the right and left in an upper surface portion of the first
cylindrical portion 10A. Rear insertion grooves 10e that are to the rear
of the front insertion grooves 10d and separated from the front insertion
grooves 10d, and that open downward and extend in the front-rear
direction, are formed in the upper surface portion of the first
cylindrical portion 10A. The front insertion grooves 10d and the rear
insertion grooves 10e communicate with the member arranging holes 10c.

[0061] Engaging protrusions 26 are provided between the front insertion
grooves 10d and the rear insertion grooves 10e, on the upper surface
portion of the first cylindrical portion 10A. Each of the engaging
protrusions 26 includes an engaging surface 26a that faces rearward, and
an inclined surface 26b that is positioned forward of the engaging
surface 26a and is inclined such that the more rearward the position in
the front-rear direction is, the more the inclined surface 26b juts out
downward.

[0062] Retaining protruding portions 27 that protrude forward are provided
spaced apart from each other to the left and right on the first
cylindrical portion 10A. These retaining protruding portions 27 are
provided in positions toward the lower end side of the member arranging
holes 10c. The lateral width of the retaining protruding portions 27 is
smaller than the width in the left-right direction of the member
arranging holes 10e.

[0063] Contact members 19A according to this modification are formed by
flat conductive material such as metal that has been processed into a
predetermined shape.

[0064] Each of the contact members 19A includes side surface portions 20A
that face in the left-right direction and are positioned spaced apart
from each other to the left and right, an engaging surface portion 21A
provided so as to connect upper end portions of the side surface portions
20A together, a connecting surface portion 22A provided so as to connect
lower end portions of the side surface portions 20A together, a
connecting terminal portion 23 that is connected to a front end portion
of the engaging surface portion 21A, and a plug connecting portion 24
that protrudes to the rear from an upper end portion of the engaging
surface portion 21A.

[0065] Insertion cutouts 20b that open to the front are formed in the side
surface portions 20A.

[0066] Part of the engaging surface portion 21A is cut and bent up to
provide an first elastic engagement portion 21c. The first elastic
engagement portion 21c is inclined such that the more forward the
position in the front-rear direction is, the more the first elastic
engagement portion 21c juts out upward.

[0067] The contact members 19A are inserted side-by-side from the front
into the member arranging holes 10c of the socket 6A. When inserting the
contact members 19A into the socket 6A, the first elastic engagement
portions 21c are inserted into the front insertion grooves 10d, and the
retaining protruding portions 27 are inserted between the side surface
portions 20A.

[0068] When the first elastic engagement portions 21c are being inserted
into the front insertion grooves 10d, the first elastic engagement
portions 21c slidingly contact the inclined surfaces 26b of the engaging
protrusions 26 and elastically deform. Once past the engaging protrusions
26, the first elastic engagement portions 21c then elastically return to
their original shapes, and are inserted into the rear insertion grooves
10e and become engaged with the engaging surface 26a.

[0069] As described above, the contact members 19A are prevented from
falling out of the socket 6A by the first elastic engagement portions 21c
being engaged with the engaging surfaces 26a of the engaging protrusions
26. As a result, the contact members 19A are retained inside the socket
6A. Accordingly, in this modification, the engaging protrusions 26 and
the first elastic engagement portions 21c serve as an engaging portion of
the invention.

[0070] When the contact members 19A are retained inside the socket 6A, the
connecting surface portions 22A are inserted below the retaining
protruding portions 27, and the plug connecting portions 24 are inserted
into the insertion holes 2b and positioned inside the second cylindrical
portion 11A.

[0071] When the contact members 19A are retained inside the socket 6A, one
end portion (a rear end portion) of the circuit board 7 is inserted from
the front into the circuit board insertion hole 10b, and inserted between
the connecting terminal portions 23 of the contact members 19A and the
retaining protruding portions 27 of the socket 6A. The rear end portion
of the circuit board 7 is inserted into the insertion cutouts 20b of the
contact members 19A, and the rear end surface is made to contact the side
surface portions 20A. The connecting terminal portions 23 are pressed
against the electrode portions 7d due to elasticity, and the heat
radiating portion 7c is pressed against the retaining protruding portions
27.

[0072] Therefore, the circuit board 7 is pressed by the restoring force of
the elastically deformed, connecting terminal portions 23 so as to be
held by the contact members 19A.

[0073] The power supply plug 25 is inserted into the second cylindrical
portion 11A of the socket 6A, and the power supply plug 25 is connected
to the plug connecting portions 24 of the contact members 19A. Therefore,
the drive current is supplied to the light source 8 from the power supply
circuit via the power supply plug 25, the contact members 19A, and the
circuit board 7.

[0074] As described above, the contact members 19A are retained in the
socket 6A without using a contact holder, so that the manufacturing cost
of the vehicular lamp 1 is reduced, by the amount of the contact holder,
owing to the decrease in the number of parts.

[0075] Furthermore, the engaging protrusions 26 that have the engaging
surfaces 26a are provided on the socket 6A, and the contact members 19A
are retained inside the socket 6A by the first elastic engagement
portions 21c being engaged with these engaging surfaces 26a, so that the
contact members 19A are easily and reliably held in the socket 6A.

[0076] As described above, in this vehicular lamp 1, the circuit board 7
is held by the contact members 19 or the contact members 19A due to the
elasticity of the connecting terminal portions 23 provided on the contact
members 19 or the contact members 19A.

[0077] Therefore, a harness for supplying drive current to the light
source 8 is not necessary, so that neither the work of connecting a
harness to the circuit board by soldering nor the work of pulling the
harness around inside and outside of the lamp body is needed. Hence,
workability related to the assembly of the circuit board 7 and the like
is improved.

[0078] Also, it is possible to connect the circuit board 7 and the contact
members 19 and 19A by only the work of inserting the circuit board 7 into
the socket 6 and 6A, so that the manufacturing cost of the vehicular lamp
1 is reduced due to the improvement of workability related to the
connecting work.

[0079] Furthermore, the heat radiating portion 7c of the circuit board 7
is pressed against a nonconductive portion, i.e., the second retaining
portion 16 of the contact holder 13 or the retaining protruding portions
27 of the socket 6A, due to the elasticity of the connecting terminal
portions 23, so that a short in the circuit board 7 is inhibited.

[0080] The heat radiating portion 7c may also be provided on at least a
portion of the circuit board 7, the portion including an end portion on
the side that is inserted into the socket 6 and 6A.

[0081] The shapes and structures of the portions illustrated in the
embodiments described above represent only specific examples used in the
implementation of the invention. The technical scope of the invention
shall not be construed as being limited to these embodiments.

[0082] The vehicular lamp may further include a contact holder that is
made of nonconductive material and is retained in the socket, wherein the
contact member is joined to the contact holder and arranged inside the
socket.

[0083] With the above configuration, by designing the shape and size of
the contact holder according to the shape and size of the contact member,
the contact member will become able to be retained in the socket
regardless of its shape and size, so that the degree of freedom in the
design of the contact member is improved.

[0084] A retaining portion may be formed on the contact holder, an
elastically deformable second elastic engagement portion may be provided
on the contact member, and the second elastic engagement portion may be
engaged with the retaining portion to join the contact member to the
contact holder. The retaining portion may be provided on the contact
holder, and may have a surface that faces in a direction of movement,
during assembly, of the contact member relative to the contact holder,
and the second elastic engagement portion may be provided on the contact
member, may be inclined such that an amount of jutting-out of the second
elastic engagement portion from the contact member increases in a
direction opposite the direction of the movement, during assembly, of the
contact member relative to the contact holder, and may be formed by
cutting and bending up a portion of the contact member.

[0085] With the above configuration, the contact member is simply and
reliably joined to the contact holder, and a stable joined state of the
contact member with respect to the contact holder is ensured.

[0086] The vehicular lamp may further include: an isolation portion that
is provided on at least the one end portion of the circuit board, and on
one surface of which the electrode portion is formed; and a heat
radiating portion that is provided on at least the one end portion of the
circuit board, that contacts the other surface of the isolation portion,
and that is made of metallic material, wherein the heat radiating portion
is pressed against a nonconductive portion by the restoring force of the
connecting terminal portion elastically deformed.

[0087] With the above configuration, it is possible to inhibit a short in
the circuit board.

[0088] The socket may be integrally formed with the lamp body.

[0089] With the above configuration, the manufacturing cost is reduced
owing to the decrease in the number of parts.

Patent applications by Hironori Tsukamoto, Shizuoka-Shi JP

Patent applications in class With cooling or ventilating feature

Patent applications in all subclasses With cooling or ventilating feature